Newsbrief: When a Tory MP claimed that a devastatingly low percentage of UK game development were women - only 17 percent - Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central Chi Onwurah told him his figures were inflated.
"The figures I have for females in the video games industry are even worse than the honorable gentleman's 17 percent," Onwurah said in an address to UK Parliament, according to MCV. "My figures show that only six percent of those who work in [Information and Communication Technology] in the UK games industry are women, despite the fact that they make up 50 percent of those who play the games."
Onwurah cited statistics in which last year only 2,400 female students from the UK went on to pursue computer science courses in university, as opposed to 15,000 male students. The overall percentage of women in the tech field has dropped by 5 percent since 2001.
"It is certainly the case that the video games industry is a modern one," said Onwurah. "One would hope that it would be reflective of society, including those who play games, but it is not."
This woman sounds like an awful politician. That final quote insinuated that the industry itself was somehow responsible. I believe Develop ran a story earlier today stating only 15% of computer science applicants are female. No matter what your opinion on sexism in the industry, a statistic like that is clearly indicative of failings in other areas such as education. Social exclusion of women in general from tech is something that starts in the home and is thoroughly compatible with the question of whether it's right to give girls baby dolls and toy kitchens.
I don't disagree at all with the view that a lot can be done in the games industry to correctly increase the female inclusion, but assigning blame so blatantly is like asking the industry to fight a battle it can't win by itself.
"Social exclusion of women in general from tech is something that starts in the home and is thoroughly compatible with the question of whether it's right to give girls baby dolls and toy kitchens."
I don't disagree at all with the view that a lot can be done in the games industry to correctly increase the female inclusion, but assigning blame so blatantly is like asking the industry to fight a battle it can't win by itself.
True that.